“Stop Kerala from holding survey”

AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa on Wednesday said that Chief Minister should channelise his energy for taking steps to prevent the Kerala government from constructing a new dam across the Mullaperiyar, instead of writing columns in poor taste ridiculing her.

“Raising the water level of the dam and constructing a new dam are two different issues. If a new dam is constructed, everything will be under the control of Kerala. What is important today is to stop Kerala from conducting the survey for a new dam,” Ms. Jayalalithaa said in a statement.

She alleged that without understanding the serious implications of the issue, the Chief Minister had cancelled the protest meeting against Union Minister of state for Environment and Forest Jairam Ramesh.

She cited media reports, which stated that a PWD engineer from Tamil Nadu was not allowed to take photographs of the Mullaperiyar areas and other PWD officials were prevented by the Kerala government from carrying materials for maintenance of the dam.

Ms Jayalalithaa said that under these circumstances, Tamil Nadu could not trust Kerala Chief Minister’s promise that he would supply water to Tamil Nadu.